Is Your Child Feeling Pandemic Trauma?

Growing up is full of changes — from starting new schools, preparing for exams, and going through puberty. These were normal challenges for children to stress about. Now, in this era of pandemic and uncertainty social restrictions, school closures, epidemic illness and death, and stressed parents all contribute to overwhelm in children, and can easily become risk factors that threaten child growth and development. Losing the ability to participate in milestones and celebrate rites of passage such as graduations, birthdays, or team with others through athletics may be deeply felt. Any combination of these factors may form the perfect storm that leads to mental stress that escalates into trauma.

Trauma affects the development of the mind body system. In children this could mean altered “functioning of neural systems including the parts of the brain essential for learning and memory, and or interference with children’s ability to explore and learn from their environment and socialize with others,” (CSS Edu, 2015) and may impact a child’s development trajectory. Trauma shapes children’s beliefs and expectations about themselves, the adults who care for them, and the world in general.

The good news is that while children and teens are more vulnerable to trauma from accidents, violent crime, or other disasters, such as the current global pandemic, with the right parental support, they are also able to recover faster. A loving and stable family environment acts as a buffer to protect children to some degree.

At the other extreme of the spectrum are the children who already experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs. Stress related to isolation, food insecurity, repeated exposure to disaster and/or an unsafe home environment is exacerbated. Home environments that were previously safe, may now be unsafe due to unprecedented financial or health stress placed on parents who are unable to cope themselves. This makes it equally important to ensure care for the care givers of children as well.

To highlight the significance of potential negative impact, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security put out a Public Awareness Bulletin — Mitigating the Threat of School Violence as the U.S. “Returns to Normal” from the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond. They believe “the threat of targeted violence in schools will remain elevated as more children return to school full-time.” (Security, 2021) (“Mitigating the Threat of School Violence as the U.S …”) The bulletin created in January 2021 stated the objective to:

“1. Raise awareness of potential risk factors and indicators for targeted violence in schools;

2. Raise awareness of the likelihood that students may have been exposed to multiple risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, and

3. Provide resources to become an engaged bystander as a part of a comprehensive local prevention framework.” (Security, 2021)

We are seeing this violence play out in local schools and in global news. Our children are

coming home from school relaying stories of increasingly imbalanced behavior witnessed at schools. Teachers and school administrators across the U.S. report a rise in minor infractions, fighting and gun related incidents.

No one knows what the long-term impact of the trauma created by the current pandemic may be, especially for those who do not have access to mental health care. We do know that when we cannot cope in the moment trauma results. Immediately after the event shock and denial are typical. Longer term trauma reactions included unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and physical symptoms like headaches and nausea. Humans are social creatures, we need support networks — family, friends, or professionals — to help us through stressful situations; and children are the most social. Isolation also causes the immune system to be stressed, leading to physical health issues.

There is an abundance of ongoing research around the pandemic and child trauma. One review of multiple studies showed “ that with respect to children’s experience of violence, the review led to found main finding: 1) Studies found a decrease in police reports and referrals to child protective services, 2) mixed results were found with respect to the number of calls to police or domestic violence helplines, 3) articles showed an increase in child abuse-related injuries treated in hospitals, and 4) surveys reported an increase in family violence.” (Claudia Cappa, 2021)

So how do we help our children?

The difference between toxic stress and what we call tolerable stress is the extent to which one can manage the stress and feel a sense of safety and control, which levels out our body’s stress response. This is not yet the case for young children, because they are not yet able to manage their own stress. It is up to adult care givers to make the stress tolerable. This goes beyond protecting a child from stressors to helping children build the skills that allows balance and flexibility.

The main way to relieve a child’s burden and stress level is to create an environment where the child can feel safe

Foster a brain building environment. A child’s brain is still under development. When the brain/body is in fight or flight, no creativity occurs because the body’s full focus is on self-preservation and survival. Continued stress leads to physical illness. Play is a keyway that the brain builds strong neural networks for resilience. Give yourself, and your child a chance to play. Follow the child’s lead and engage their imagination

Ask questions. Ask “What does this experience feel like to you?” Talk to them about their feelings and whether anything is worrying them. A caregiver who dismisses a child’s emotions sends the signals that the child’s feelings are invalid and unimportant, which can lead to a lifetime of self-dismissing emotional behavior.

Maintain Routines. It is important that children hold on to normalcy as much as possible, whether that be schooling hours, dinner, or bedtime time. Continued physical activity becomes even more important in the sedentary environment of increased at home time. Just because we are all spending more time in doors does not mean that we stop moving. Exercise is a wonderful way to for the entire family to interact and have fun at the same time.

Pay attention. Drastic life changes such as home schooling, isolation, death of a family member or friend can cause emotional problems that show up as headaches, stomach aches, loss of appetite or sleep. Get professional assistance with persistent issues.

Do not hide the fact that there may be a serious threat. Children can feel when something is going on with their caregivers. It is best to talk about the crisis at the appropriate level for the child to deal with.

Limit replay of pandemic news. Less exposure is better for children; and parents should view and discuss tragic news with their children. Even unexposed children can become traumatized by horrific images repeatedly seen or heard in the media and in adult conversations.

Teach children how to balance their mental health and deal with fear. Fears are our guidance system showing us what we must overcome to be safe and balanced. The adrenaline that comes from fear gives us the energy to help us find solutions. We do not need to avoid fear. Like any other emotion it is meant to be felt, moved through, and grown from to live a more fruitful life. Learning this at an early age is an amazing gift that will keep on giving throughout the rest of a child’s life.

In this crisis, the greatest thing that we can do for children is to provide a sense of mental and physical safety, which allows them to continue to grow, play and simply be children.

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